The Transfer Thread

[Jerbear]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Fergie doesn't want to let go of that title. What a team if he gets him. My only problem with it is that Tevez and Rooney are quite similar. They both float in and out and go all over the place. I would have thought they would have targeted an out-an-out striker.

[calcutta]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Juventus sign Jorge Andrade from Deportivo...

...and sell Fabrizio Miccoli to Palermo

[illab]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Fergie doesn't want to let go of that title. What a team if he gets him. My only problem with it is that Tevez and Rooney are quite similar. They both float in and out and go all over the place. I would have thought they would have targeted an out-an-out striker.

I agree about the similarities to Rooney. Its kinda strange but I think Tevez would have fit better with Liverpool and Torres better with United. It will be interesting to see how it works out.

[Perceptor]

Re: The Transfer Thread

If it does work out, United will have one of the best attacks in Europe - Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Giggs, and Scholes. Combine that with Hargreaves as a holding midfielder, Vidic, Rio, Neville, and Evra - they're a stacked team.

[calcutta]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Florent Malouda to Chelsea

Fabio Grosso to Olympique Lyonnais

and Gabriel Milito to FC Barcelona?

[calcutta]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Latest stuff on Soccernet:

Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel to Liverpool
Freddy Ljungberg to Fiorentina?
Rolando Bianchi to Manchester City
Craig Bellamy to West Ham
Jason Koumas to Wigan
Diomancy Kamara to Fulham
David Nugent to Portsmouth?

[steveeee]

Re: The Transfer Thread

nice.. I hope the Reds sign Quaresma next...

I read a nice scouting report on Babel

Scouting report

Steve Claridge
Tuesday July 3, 2007
Source: The Guardian

When Thierry Henry left Arsenal there were more than a few eyes looking across to Holland at this 20-year-old striker as a potential replacement. I watched him in Holland's 2-1 win over Portugal in the European Under-21 Championship last month and I found him a bit of an enigma. He is a big, strong, forceful player in the mould of a young Kevin Campbell - yet he just loves to come short for the ball. He almost moved into a midfield role rather than what you might expect, which would be playing high up, against his defender.

Article continues

However, in Maceo Rigters (who ended up with the tournament's Golden Boot) he had a willing strike partner who could stretch defences over the top with his pace, meaning opponents were reluctant to come forward and play a high line. That allowed Babel to exploit the space between midfield and the opposition defence.

Babel has a very good awareness of what is around him when he does receive the ball, which is important because you need almost peripheral vision in this area of the pitch. Against Portugal this, allied with a good first touch and strength on the ball even when closed down, meant he was able to hold off his opponent. There was a nice balance to his game with regard to when to run at people and when to release a team-mate. His success at this led to Holland's first goal: Babel received the ball and immediately got his head up to play Rigters in with a perfectly weighted pass between the centre-back and full-back. Rigters was brought down and Babel showed he is not short on confidence by stepping up and scoring the penalty.

Babel not only combined well with his fellow centre-forward but also picked the ball up wide and deep, playing either winger in with passes good enough to take their full-back out of play. Although this is his preferred way of playing, when he did push forward to a more advanced position he proved a willing runner, particularly into channels, and pulled away for the diagonal ball extremely well. One or two parts of his game made me realise why he likes to play the way he does: his hold-up play and battling qualities in the air fell a little short of what I imagined for someone of his build and strength.

Scouted by Ajax at the age of 11, he has obviously benefited by his time at the club since then. He became Holland's youngest scorer for 68 years with a goal on his full international debut, against Romania in 2005, and scored twice on the way to the last eight of the Under-20 World Cup the same year. This is a player born to play in the modern game, with all the physical attributes needed at the highest level. But the difference from players of a similar physical development at such a young age is that mentally he will not be found wanting, which can happen all too often.

Babel would be no direct replacement for Henry; if he were to join Arsenal, this season or next, I could see him in a Dennis Bergkamp-type role, dropping off a bit. He has a similar stature to Bergkamp. He needs to play alongside someone with pace, who will frighten the opposition defence so that they do not step up; this will create a hole for him to play in.

Age 20

Born Amsterdam

Position Forward

Height 6ft 1in

Weight 12st 6lb

From Ajax

Pace 8/10

Awareness 9/10

Heading 7/10

Attitude 8/10

Tackling 7/10

Passing 9/10

Team responsibility 9/10

Valuation £5m-7m

[calcutta]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Liverpool are certainly goin' all out for next season, but i should mention the Babel deal hasn't been confirmed...they need to meet Ajax's price of 20 million Euros.

Real Madrid are spending big, 30 million Euros for FC Porto defender Pepe

The link also confirms the Metzelder signing i mentioned earlier, which is a free transfer.

And Chivu has rejected a move to Spain, which leaves Inter Milan as a likely destination.

[Qb]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Things certainly seem to be heating up of late...

Along with the Ljungberg to Viola rumors, I read on Sky Sports' website that the Gunners may ask for out of favor 21 year-old striker Bojinov, who spent last season on loan at Juventus, in a swap deal for Freddie and cash.

Also from Sky Sports, Arsenal appears to be closing in on the signings of Frechmen Sagna and Goumann, the former a 24 year-old fullback with Auxerre and the latter a 21 year-old attacker with Caen (newly promoted from Ligue 2).

These latest rumors certainly underscore William Gallas' latest rant on Arsenal's transfer policies, specifically targeting young players who have not established themselves at the highest levels of football. As an Arsenal fan, this doesn't bother me and is actually one of the reasons why I like them so much, but it is not the best recipe for winning trophies. Especially with the squads that have been assembled by Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool and to a lesser extent Tottenham and some of the mid-table sides, the Premier League looks to be as difficult as ever in the upcoming season.

[Perceptor]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Reds confirm Benayoun and Babel deals on skysports

Also, Tevez will undergo medical next week with Manchester United. Whether he will be a United player remains to be seen as West Ham are still claiming he is theirs...

[P2K]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Meanwhile, Milan has done diddly squat.

[fugazi]

Re: The Transfer Thread

These latest rumors certainly underscore William Gallas' latest rant on Arsenal's transfer policies, specifically targeting young players who have not established themselves at the highest levels of football.

Yeah, but these guys are going to be reserves. Bojinov would not be a bad move, especially when you consider that you are losing a great player in Ljungberg, you should hope to get something out of it. Clichy and Flamini are good and serviceable fullbacks, and Arsenal's attack will still feature vanPersie, Hleb and Fabregas. Adebayor has shown that he has what it takes, whether it translates into consistency is another question.

[nccomicfan]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Jerzy Dudek signs as a free agent with Real Madrid

[calcutta]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Roberto Ayala signs with Real Zargoza without even playing a game for Villareal (the team he agreed to join from Valencia back in Feb). Zaragoza also acquire Ricardo Oliveira from AC Milan on loan, and also loan out Ewerthon to Bundesliga champs Vfb Stuttgart.

Keeping the Sth American theme going, former Champions League winner Carlos Alberto becomes Werder Bremen's record signing at 7.8million Euros (from Corinthians).

Michael Chopra is back in the premier league, signing with Sunderland for £5million.

[nccomicfan]

Re: The Transfer Thread

Kieran Richardson leaves Old Trafford to bolster Roy Keane's Sunderland squad